Tag: Uav

British soldiers in Afghanistan have been issued several drones known as Black Hornet Nanos, palm-sized unmanned aerial vehicles “that can scout around corners and obstacles for hidden dangers” and transmit live video and still images to a handheld controller up to half a mile away.

The first disclosed unmanned drone strike of 2013 killed top Taliban leader Mullah Nazir as he reportedly met with senior leaders of his group in South Waziristan early Thursday morning, security officials say.

Five alleged Pakistani militants connected to the Taliban warlord Hafiz Gul Bahadur were killed in a drone strike Saturday as the United States pressured Pakistan to attack Taliban forces that may become the country’s crucial allies once foreign forces leave.

A Texas police department is just one of many local agencies across the country that has been granted permission by the Federal Aviation Administration to use unmanned aerial drones in the course of its operations, and its chief deputy wants to arm its fleet with rubber bullets and tear gas.

A Washington Post poll found that 83 percent of Americans approved of the U.S. government’s use of flying robots to kill terror suspects overseas, while 65 percent found no fault even if those targeted were American citizens. Liberals and Democrats consented to the killings as well, with favorable showings of 55 percent and 58 percent, respectively.

The worldwide uprisings of 2011 have seen ordinary people use surveillance and communication technology to protect themselves against oppressive governments. Now, New York City’s Occupiers are taking such tactics to the skies with the “occucopter,” a lightweight, camera-mounted helicopter that can be controlled with an iPhone.

The skies seem full of falling drones these days. The most publicized of them made headlines when Iran announced that its military had taken possession of an advanced American remotely piloted spy aircraft, thought to be an RQ-170 Sentinel.

Improvements in the technology behind the predator drone are advancing at a rate faster than a half-naked Arnold Schwarzenegger fleeing extra-terrestrial assassins in an alien jungle. Two new books bring us up to date. (more)

Pakistani lawyer and human rights champion Mirza Shahzad Akbar, who has aided the U.S. government in legal counterterrorism efforts, was banned from traveling to the States to speak at Columbia Law School after suing the CIA about drone strikes that have killed civilians in his country. (more)

Following Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s emergency departure for medical treatment last week, the U.S. government has taken advantage of the resulting power vacuum to resume covert fighter jet and drone attacks that have killed civilians and suspected terrorists alike. (more)

The $4.5 million Predator unmanned aerial vehicle and its at least $10 million successor are considered the future of America’s Air Force and a big part of the president’s escalation in Afghanistan. Insurgents in Iraq (and probably Afghanistan) were able to track the planes and intercept video feeds using $26 software available on the Internet. (continued)

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said it, and judging by this three-part series from CNN, the age of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is upon us. It’s warfare by joystick—and the Predator drone is only the beginning.